An electronic cigarette, or e-cigarette, is a handheld, battery operated device that is designed to turn nicotine and other chemicals into a vapor which is delivered to the lungs via inhalation. The primary components of an electronic cigarette parts are a mouthpiece, a tank (or cartridge), a heating element/atomizer, and a battery. The atomizer comprises a small heating element, or coil, that vaporizes liquid solution or e-liquid and wicking material, such as cotton, that draws e-liquid onto the coil, when air flows through the atomizer. When the user activates the electronic cigarette, for example by pushing a button, activating a pressure sensor by inhaling, or any other known method in the art, the heating element in the atomizer atomizes the liquid solution creating a vapor which the user inhales. The vapor provides a flavor and feel similar to tobacco smoking.
With the increasing popularity of electronic cigarettes comes various competitions among electronic cigarette smokers, such as competitive vaping (or “cloud chasing”) in which competitors try to blow the biggest, densest vapor cloud possible. Users utilize the air flow in the atomizer to draw the vapor from where it's being created and into the mouth/lungs of the user, to change the vapor cloud. When a large about of air flow is passing through the coils, the vapor gets less dense but produces larger vapor clouds. While this allows for a bigger vapor cloud, it also reduces the flavor. Conversely, users who are more concerned with the flavor and less with the size of the vapor cloud, may desire to limit the air flow.
While there are existing atomizer on the market that allow users to adjust the air flow, these prior art atomizers utilize caps that cover the tank where the e-liquid is stored. However, these caps can be easily pulled off or loosened. When the cap is pulled off or loosened, the e-liquid can then leak out of the tank. This can be very problematic for users who carry their electronic cigarettes in their pockets, bags, purses, etc.
In view of the above, what is needed is a rebuildable dripping atomizer which uses a sleeve lock that allows the user to adjust and direct the air flow while preventing the e-liquid from leaking out of the atomizer.